THE LAST MILE. 747 



speak from faintness. They replaced him in the kitanda, and 

 made the best of their way on the journey. Some distance far- 

 ther on great thirst oppressed him ; he asked them if they had 

 any water, but, unfortunately, for once not a drop was to be 

 procured. Hastening on for fear of getting too far separated 

 from the party in advance, to their great comfort they now saw 

 Farijala approaching with some which Susi had thoughtfully 

 sent off from Chitambo's village. 



"Still wending their way on, it seemed as if they would not 

 complete their task, for again at a clearing the sick man en- 

 treated them to place him on the ground, and to let him stay 

 where he was. Fortunately at this moment some of the out- 

 lying huts of the village came into sight, and they tried to rally 

 him by telling him that he would quickly be in the house that 

 the others had gone on to build, but they were obliged as it was 

 to allow him to remain for an hour in the native gardens out- 

 side the town. 



" On reaching their companions it was found that the work 

 was not quite finished, and it became necessary therefore to lay 

 him under the broad eaves of a native hut till things were 

 ready. 



"Chitambo's village at this time was almost empty. When 

 the crops are growing it is the custom to erect little temporary 

 houses in the fields, and the inhabitants, leaving their more sub- 

 stantial huts, pass the time in watching their crops, which are 

 scarcely more safe by day than by night ; thus it was that the 

 men found plenty of room and shelter ready to their hand. 

 Many of the people approached the spot where he lay whose 

 praises had reached them in previous years, and in silent won- 

 der they stood round him resting on their bows. Slight driz- 

 zling showers were falling, and as soon as possible his house was 

 made ready and banked round with earth. 



" Inside it, the bed was raised from the floor by sticks and 

 grass, occupying a position across and near to the bay-shaped 

 end of the hut : in the bay itself bales and boxes were deposited, 

 one of the latter doing duty for a table, on which the medicine 

 chest and sundry other things were placed. A fire was lighted 

 outside, nearly opposite the door, whilst the boy Majwara slept 

 just within to attend to his master's wants in the night. 



